Improved metal cans or boxes



l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE EVERE'IT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED METAL CANS OR BOXES. a

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,939, dated May 30, 1865.

do hereby declare the following to be a full,-

clear, and exact description of the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a metal can or box having a body secured by alap-joint, the proj ection formed by which is arranged in the in; terior of the can or box instead of on the exterior, as usual, thereby facilitating the attachment of the lid and bottom to the body, the exterior of the nished can being at the same time smooth and better adapted to the reception of lables than cans of the ordinary construction.

In order to enable other to make my invention, I will now proceed to describe the manner of constructing the same.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved can for containing spices, &c.; Fig. 2, a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a detached Vsectional vieW drawn to an enlarged scale.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body A of the can is bent from a plate of tinned iron into the form of a hollow cylinder, the edges being secured together by a joint of the character best shown in Fig. 3, the seam or lap of this joint being made on the inside of the can instead of on the outside, as usual, so that there may be no protrusion on the exterior. surface of the can where the joint occurs. One end of the cylinder is bent outward by suitable machinery, so as to form a flange, and the cylinder is then placed between two horizontal rollers,which, as they revolve, compress the seam at the same time that the bottom B is applied to the lower edge of the cylinder, so that the ilange shall take its place within the turned-up edge of the bottom, the upper roller pressing the latter iirnily down upon the flange.

In the manufacture of boxes or cans of this class the joints and bottom have either been secured by means of solder or by a joint of the character above described, the lap or seam, however, being formed on the outer surface of the cylinder.l The former plan is expensive, while the lapljoint projecting on the exterior 'surface of the can prevents the ready application of the bottom and lid to the body. It will be evident that this defect is obviated by my improvement, and that a can or box with a smooth exterior surface is better adapted to receive the usual labels than such as have a projecting ridge on the outside formed by the joint.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A metal can or box having a body secured by a lap-joint, the projection formed by which is arranged on the inside of the can, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HORACE EVERETT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. FosTEE, JOHN WHITE. 

